13 Reasons Why: The Story Continues
by tjnobx39
Summary: Picking up immediately where Season One ended, this is the continuation of the story we've all come to know, and where it takes the cast of characters.
1. Tape 7, Side B - Part One

**PLEASE READ FIRST**

 **Author's Note: I have just recently finished watching 13RW, about a week ago. I'm a little late, I know. I'm so glad my best friend recommended it, as I needed to see it to help me with my own struggles. I cannot put to words how much the show blew me away, in terms of emotional depth and the portrayals of the characters shown on screen. Nothing has ever impacted me in a way that this show has, and I'm usually a pretty tough person. But this devastated me yet left me wide open to watching more. I am now hooked on the show and I wanted so much more when that last scene faded to black. Seeing as Season Two is now filming and should be out early next year, I figured I wanted to write something to satisfy my need for the story to continue.**

 **With recent developments unfolding regarding Season Two, it is now known that the second season will take place a few months after Season One ended, so my story will not be accurate whatsoever, but rather a fan's version of what COULD have happened, or maybe an explanation of events leading up to the actual Season Two?**

 **This is my first time publishing any form of fiction online, let alone fan fiction. I was just so amazed with all the hard work, dedication and talent put into 13RW that I had to continue what was started to satisfy my own cravings for more story. The message of the show is very deep and emotionally impactful, and if you or anyone you know needs help, please don't be afraid to reach out to someone. I promise that there's someone out there that can and will help you in your time of need. I'm one of them.**

 **Final note: Some of you may not like this portrayal of Season Two, but I'm letting my creativity and desire for more story flow to the keyboard and I'm excited to see where it takes me. The episode format will stay the same, 13 "episodes" divided into 2-3 parts each to give me time to write it all. I'll probably keep the naming scheme of "Tape 7, Side B" for example, just for honoring the show. Whether or not I retain the narration heard in the first season is still a decision I've yet to make. I'm really aiming to focus on a few different storylines, like Tony's backstory, Courtney's struggle with herself, Tyler's decisions, Zach and Alex's redemptions, Justin's disappearance and falling out with Bryce, the Bakers dealing with the tapes, Clay's closure with Hannah, and the lawsuit that looms over them all. I also hope to flesh out some other characters and give them more backstory and characterization, such as Jeff (through flashbacks, #JeffDeservedBetter), Montgomery, Clay's parents, Hannah's parents, and Brad.**

 **Yes I know, it sounds like a huge story. I hope that it can be.**

 **Juggling this diverse cast of over 20 characters and multiple narratives interweaving throughout two timelines as well as interacting with each other is going to be a challenge that I'm willing to take on. So here goes, I hope you all like the story I have to tell!**

* * *

 **Season 2**

 **Tape 7, Side B - Part One**

" _Go get her."_

" _Go get her and do what?"_

" _It's a dance… just dance with her."_

" _I can't. Y-you know I can't dance."_

" _Tonight, you can. I promise." Jeff patted him on the back. "Come on, you've got this." He urged._

 _Clay Jensen finally obliged, standing up from his seat on the bleachers. He stepped down to the floor, keeping his eyes on her the whole time. She looked beautiful from across the gymnasium. Jeff smiled as he watched his friend descend towards the girl he loved._

 _Hannah Baker followed suit. Moving down the bleachers, a soft smile growing on her lips eagerly. Upon reaching the floor, she started towards him. He did the same._

 _They met halfway._

" _This song… it's perfect." Hannah said to him, smiling._

" _Yeah. So I guess we should-…" He motioned to dance._

 _He placed his hands on her waist, eyeing the other couples around the room. He decided to keep it modest. She seemed to approve with her eyes as they grew closer._

 _Swaying back and forth to the beauty of the tune, Hannah complimented his rhythm._

" _You are full of little surprises."_

" _Stick with me kid." Clay replied, smiling. She gave him a grin of her own, lighting up Clay's world like nothing ever had before. It was then that he knew. She was the only one for him. She was perfect._

 _At that very moment, he discovered the courage he never thought he had. Clay began to lean forward slowly towards her, and Hannah returned the advance._

 _Finally, their lips met._

"Clay."

Clay opened his eyes.

"Clay!"

Tony Padilla's Mustang was parked. Clay looked over to his friend in the driver's seat, who looked somewhat worried.

"You still with us, Clay?" Tony asked him.

"Oh, uh-… yeah. Yeah I'm here." Clay said. He turned quickly to the backseat. Skye was no longer there, having been dropped off earlier at Monet's for work. Only Brad remained with them.

"This is the place right?" Tony started. "The place you told me to take you?"

Clay looked up from his feet and out the passenger window. His favorite park was surrounding them, trees shooting up nearly a hundred feet into the sky. The clouds were parting from earlier in the day and a slowly setting sun was casting its golden hour rays across the city.

"Yeah. Yeah this is it." Clay replied. He grabbed his backpack from the floor of the passenger side and opened the door.

Tony grabbed his arm quickly. Clay paused, turning to face his friend.

"You okay, Clay?" Tony asked slowly, a tone of worry was interspersed in his usually solemn voice of reason.

Clay nodded again. "Yeah."

Tony let go of his arm, allowing Brad to climb up to the front seat.

"Thanks Tony." Clay said, before turning to walk into the park.

"Your welcome. Don't forget about my Walkman!" Tony called out after him, a faint smile across his face. Clay had asked to borrow it once again.

Tony's Mustang began to pull out of the parking lot as Clay moved further into the park.

"What's wrong with him?" Brad asked.

Tony sighed, turning the wheel to accelerate out of the park. "He was in love with Hannah Baker."

"Didn't she-…"

"Yeah, she did." Tony replied, fighting back the tears that threatened his eyes.

Brad gazed out of the window, his eyes fixated on Clay's silhouette as it disappeared into the trees.

The car sped off briskly down the road and out of the park.

Approaching his favorite spot, Clay dropped his backpack at the edge of the bench, and sat down. The sun began its gorgeous descent towards the horizon as the light illuminated through the twin bridges in the near distance. Clay took in his surroundings, inhaling and exhaling deeply as he attempted to relieve some of his stress.

He pulled the Walkman out of his hoodie pocket, and plugged in his headphones. Putting the headphones on, he leaned over and opened his backpack, dug through it, and pulled out a tape.

He put the tape into the Walkman and pressed the play button firmly, having become well accustomed to doing that at this point.

 _I am not the only traveler_

 _Who has not repaid his debt_

At that moment, Clay closed his eyes, leaned back, and took a deep breath.

 _I've been searching for a trail to follow again_

Somewhere across town, Justin Foley sat in the corner of a near-empty diner. His phone screen displaying photos of him and a girl, Jessica Davis. He scrolled through each one determinedly. His eyes near tears. He soon switched apps, moving through each one of his social media accounts, opting to delete them.

 _Take me back to the night we met_

Elsewhere, Jessica Davis sobbed into the protective embrace of her father, as her story to him was finally finished, finally over. He held her solemnly, kissing her on her head, rocking her back and forth. His hand rubbed her back gingerly, as he was eager to do whatever it took to protect and bring justice to those who wronged his baby girl. For a moment, tears could be seen in his own eyes, before he closed them and ached for his daughter's pain.

 _And then I can tell myself_

 _What the hell I'm supposed to do_

In the middle of Mercy Hospital's ICU, the body of Alex Standall lay motionless on an operating table. Surrounded by three neurosurgeons and a trauma surgeon, they operated carefully on his head, passing instruments to each other and nodding to directions given. Nurses surrounded them, as bright white lights shone down onto Alex's body.

 _And then I can tell myself_

Two objects lay on Tyler Down's bed. A pistol and a camera. The owner of both stood over them, musing, arms folded across his chest. A call for him rang out from the kitchen for dinner. The voice snapped the boy out of his thoughts, and he hastily removed the gun from his bed, placing it back into his locked chest, before hurrying out of the room, leaving the camera alone on his bed.

 _Not to ride along with you_

 _The two continued to dance on in the middle of the gymnasium, reliving their first kiss over and over in their heads as they smiled to each other. Hannah rested her head on Clay's shoulder as they waltzed slowly, back and forth, to the sound of Tony's choice of song. The images flashed through Clay's mind, continuing from before._

 _What could have been._

" _And for the first time in a long time, I could imagine a future where I was happy."_

Her voice echoed through the cerebral pathways of Clay's mind, tugging at his very spirit.

 _I had all and then most of you_

 _Some and then none of you_

 _At that moment, Hannah began to disappear. Clay watched her body dissolve from the air, dissolve into nothingness. He stepped back slowly, in visible distress._

" _Hannah…?"_

 _Take me back to the night we met_

 _Everyone else in the gymnasium began to disappear as well. Clay appeared visibly taken aback, lost almost. He quickly turned up to the bleachers to see Jeff, sitting alone and staring at him._

 _I don't know what I'm supposed to do_

 _Haunted by the ghost of you_

" _Go get her." Jeff said to Clay, smiling fervently. He then disappeared himself, dissolving into the nothingness that claimed Hannah, and the rest of the people surrounding Clay._

 _Clay looked around, and saw not a single soul remaining in the gymnasium. The song continued however, as he fell to his knees and broke down into tears._

 _Oh, take me back to the night we met_

Courtney Crimsen sat on the edge of her bed, staring at a photo on her phone. The photo of her and Hannah Baker. Her hands began to shake, which soon escalated into an almost full-body convulsion. She screamed and threw her phone across the room, watching it smash into a mirror, as one of her father's quickly entered the room and appeared worried.

 _When the night was full of terrors_

Marcus Cole emerged from the back door of Liberty High School, his fingers dialing a number on his phone. Placing the device to his ear, he begins ranting to someone on the other end. His face contorted with anger suddenly, and a car pulls up to the curb. Marcus pauses from the phone call and leaned into the open window to confront the driver. Within seconds, he got in and the car drove off.

Moving through the streets of the city, Marcus and his driver pass by a familiar location. Rosie's Diner. Images of Hannah Baker sitting in front of him with an empty milkshake flash through his mind, but he pushes them away and makes small talk with the driver.

 _And your eyes were filled with tears_

 _When you had not touched me yet_

Zach Dempsey sat in his now-repaired Audi, with the engine off. His deposition was over, and he had opted to drive somewhere more personal. The Liberty High parking lot was empty as the sun finally dropped below the horizon. In his hands was a folded piece of paper, and in the final rays of light, he opened it slowly and began to read, as each line from Hannah's letter struck him like a freight train. The tears fell from his eyes onto the paper below, joining many other tearstains that had dotted the letter, scars from the last few days.

He decided to practice his basketball in the open gym for a while, to clear his mind. Getting out of his car, he noticed Alex had still not texted him back yet.

 _Oh, take me back to the night we met_

Finishing up at his weekly poetry gathering, Ryan Shaver sat alone on the steps of the library. His computer was on his lap, and an old copy of his 'Lost and Found' magazine was displayed on screen, from the previous school year. More specifically, a page from near the beginning had caught his attention, a poem by an old friend. Reading over the poem a final time, Ryan highlighted it in the editor program and without hesitation, his finger pressed the delete button. Looking up from the screen, he watched as the sun disappeared below the horizon and the city's streets grew dark. He sighed, closing his computer and heading down the steps towards the sidewalk below.

 _I had all and then most of you_

 _Some and then none of you_

Justin Foley laid his phone down onto the table, turning the power off and leaning back in exasperation. His eyes were red and raw, and his hair an unkempt mess. He heard a vehicle braking outside the diner and leaned back forward, noticing two people stepping onto a newly arrived bus. He hurriedly put his phone into his jacket pocket and grabbed his backpack, leaving two dollar bills on the diner's front counter for his drink and hustling out the door to the small bus station, as night crept over the parking lot.

 _Take me back to the night we met_

Sheri Holland sat in the backseat of a police car as it traveled its way through the streets of the city. With each passing street light, Sheri's soft facial features were illuminated, gazing out the window towards those walking by and brightly lit storefronts. Upon passing Baker's Drug Store, Sheri looked down at her hands nestled on her lap, taking a deep breath. Despite being in the back of a police car, for the first time in a long time, she actually felt free.

 _I don't know what I'm supposed to do_

 _Haunted by the ghost of you_

Bryce Walker stood on the balcony overlooking his pool. A few stars began to appear in the sky above, glistening in the twilight. In his left hand was a glass of scotch, while his right hand gripped the balcony railing, knuckles still bruised from the night before. He stared down towards his hot tub, without saying a word. His mind racing with possible scenarios for what may come his way. He blinked once before taking a drink.

 _Take me back to the night we met_

At an early evening meeting with the other school administrators, Kevin Porter sat in silence as his colleagues discussed options surrounding the lawsuit against the school, and Alex Standall's recent actions. Porter looked down to the table, as his mind drifted off elsewhere.

" _She died alone."_ Clay's voice echoed through Porter's mind.

A buzz came from his phone, he briefly looked down to check it.

 _Where are you Kevin? I'm getting tired of this. We need to talk when you get home._

Mr. Porter sighed, putting his phone away as Principal Gary Bolan called his name from across the table, looking for his opinion on something.

But Porter knew what he had to do.

Clay Jensen remained on the hilltop bench as the sun had long set. The stars above twinkled in the absence of the massive celestial body. The song had ended its fourth repeat on Tony's Walkman, and because of that, he hadn't heard footsteps approaching from behind him. Removing his headphones, he placed them into his backpack and sent a text to Tony to ask for a pickup and ride home. He then leaned back once more and gazed up at the thousands of stars above.

* * *

"A submental missile entry was the method upon which your son attempted suicide, Mr. Standall." The surgeon explained to the distraught man before him.

"S-submental?" The man stammered in reply, his uniform covered in blood.

"Under the chin." The doctor stated firmly.

"O-oh yes. Right… that's how it was when I found him." Alex Standall's father was clearly fighting back against an emotional rollercoaster, but the battle was one he was losing quickly.

"We removed the bone flap and are allowing his brain to swell so it can heal. We've heavily sedated him at the moment, but he's stable. We're keeping him in critical care overnight and we may have to perform another surgery in the morning. The bullet was removed with care, but he will sustain heavy facial disfigurations and perhaps even certain cognitive or memory functions could be impaired permanently."

At that moment, they noticed a woman approaching slowly from an adjacent hallway. She was clad in dark blue scrubs and had a distraught face of sorrow, tears running down her cheeks. Standall immediately recognized the woman.

It was his wife.

He briefly departed the surgeon's presence, meeting his wife in front of the ICU doors. They embraced fiercely, her quiet tears becoming sobs once again. Moments passed, their hug finally ended as she tried wiping her eyes, but to no avail. They reddened further as she followed her husband to the surgeon.

"So it's… it's all okay? He's okay?" The father of the boy asked the man.

"Yes. We believe we have removed all of the bullet fragments. It partially shattered upon impact with his skull, but we have no inclination to believe that any fragments remain. We will be running a thorough scan in a half hour to detect for any lingering or microscopic pieces."

"When can we see him?" His mother said quietly, her face morphing into one filled with grief. She took a moment to try and compose herself again, turning away as the doctor replied.

"Not yet. He just came out of an intensive and quite long surgery. Within the coming days we will notify you when it is okay to visit him. There's not really much you can do right now but wait. I'm sorry. A hospital-affiliated psychologist will call you in the morning to ask you about Alex." He smiled faintly to them, placing a hand on the father's shoulder before turning to walk back towards the ICU.

She spoke first.

"How… did this happen?"

"I don't know."

"Where was he?"

"His bedroom."

"You were where?"

"About to leave, my shift started in three minutes." He almost began to choke up, his hand covered over his mouth as he attempted to right his emotional state.

She had not seen him like this in years.

"Our son."

"Our son." He replied slowly.

"Do you think this had any-anything… to do with… the Baker girl?" She managed to get her point across without descending back into fits of tears.

"I don't know."

"David."

"What?" He turned to look at her for the first time in what felt like hours.

"Do you think this could have anything to do with m-me…?"

"Why would it? No. Of course not."

"I'm never home anymore David."

"And you think I am?" He appeared flustered at this comment.

"I just feel like we couldn't see our son when he was struggling. We missed the signs."

"A lot of parents do."

"I never thought we would be in that group, though."

David sighed, shaking his head.

"I have to go." He said to her.

"Wh-what? Where are you going? Why? You can't just leave Alex…"

"I still have a job to do. We can't visit him right now. Call me as soon as you hear something. I need to go get cleaned up. How much longer are you here?"

"Six hours."

"Alright, let me know."

"David?"

"What?"

"You're sure you're okay?" Her face warmed a bit, attempting to seek her husband's true feelings on the matter. They didn't talk much these days, but it didn't stop her from trying.

"I'll be fine. Just let me know of any updates about Alex."

"Okay."

He dropped a quick kiss on her forehead before exiting through the sliding doors that led towards the main entrance. Her eyes didn't follow him, but lingered on the doors to the ICU. The tears formed once again, and she had to sit down before her emotions took over.

The sliding doors then opened again.

"Are you Mrs. Standall?" A male voice called out to her.

She didn't look up for a moment, wiping the tears away and preparing to face yet another human being. But she didn't have to do much movement, as he approached her.

The boy was tall, well-built and sporting a Henley shirt with dark denim jeans. He looked down at her as she sat, still wiping away what tears were left. The newcomer noticed another chair opposite of her, and moved to sit down.

"Yes. That would be me." She said softly.

"I'm one of Alex's friends," the boy said quickly. He sighed slowly before taking a deep breath. "I heard about what happened and thought maybe you could use some company while you waited to hear something."

"Thank you, and your name is?"

"Zach."

"Zach. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Zach. Not under the circumstances any mother would hope for, but a pleasure anyways." Her face remained somewhat grim and outwardly solemn.

"Is he out of surgery?" Zach Dempsey questioned.

She nodded.

"How is he?"

"We aren't sure. They're running another scan, but they think they've gotten all of the bullet frag-…" She couldn't even finish her sentence, her emotions draining her of all the energy she had left. The tears flowed and she began to sob for her son. Zach immediately sprang into action, moving over to her in an attempt to comfort the woman.

"It's okay… everything is gonna be okay. Alex is a tough kid, trust me on that one." Zach felt rather strange, like a warm feeling growing within him, he wasn't too used to comforting others, having only really done it once before, or attempted to.

" _Wanna see a cool trick? Bryce Walker taught me."_

 _Hannah Baker sat there in tears, her eyes barely focused on Zach, but enough to propel his decision to place a spoon on his nose. He failed, the spoon fell to the table loudly, causing her to flinch. But it was an attempt nonetheless._

The memory soon faded.

"I know he is…" She muttered.

"You're one hell of a mom for staying strong through this. Alex would be proud of you. I'm sure we don't have to wait too much longer," Zach soothed.

"Thank you, Zach." She fought through the tears to reply. "You're one hell of a friend for coming to see him." For the first time since she got the news, she managed to smile to the boy beside her. Knowing her son had friends as genuine as Zach made her feelings of grief disappear for a brief moment.

"I do what I can." Zach said, before feeling a buzz in his pocket. He quickly glanced down at his phone, which was withdrawn from his pocket.

 _Where are you?_

 _Mercy._

 _Alex?_

 _Yeah._

 _Is he awake?_

 _No._

 _Good. So his deposition can be postponed._

 _Are you fucking kidding me Marcus? He shot himself, show some respect you prick._

 _You say that now, but when he's awake and talking, you'll wish he had succeeded._

 _Fuck you._

Zach appeared visibly taken aback by the messages he was reading. Not saying anything to Alex's mother, he continued to comfort her, putting his phone away with a barely audible sigh.

He knew he was doing the right thing, and it felt good, for once.

* * *

"Have a seat right there miss, we'll be right with you." The officer beckoned the girl before him into a waiting room seat. The police headquarters was abnormally busy that night, officers rushing about, some carrying paperwork, others rambling on the phone while scribbling down details.

Sheri Holland looked around quietly, her eyes darting between officers and the events unfolding before her.

 _What could possibly be going on?_

"He shot himself."

"Do we have an officer on scene?"

"He was admitted to Mercy."

"Get me someone from the psych center on the phone?"

"What about Gary Bolan?"

"Fuck him, get me a psych! This might affect that ongoing lawsuit. Which is bigger than Bolan now, don't involve the school district yet."

"Officers Rainier and De Santa are reporting to the scene. Only one witness."

"Who?"

"Kid's brother."

"Bring him in if you have to."

"Is Standall still on duty?"

"He should be. Should we release him? His wife is at the hospital."

"Give me a minute."

"Officers Rainier and De Santa, if he's uncomfortable talking then hold tight. We're sending a psych out there now."

"All units be advised, we have a three car accident at the intersection of Tanglewood and Clearwater. Requesting EMS and Fire."

"Get me through to dispatch, request EMS and Fire to the intersection of Tanglewood and Clearwater. Get traffic rerouted and set up a perimeter."

"Got a house fire reported at 3206 Vallejo Blvd, requesting all available units."

"Damn, they just aren't stopping tonight are they?"

"Be advised Officers Rainier and De Santa, we have a psych en route to the Standall home now."

All of the hectic activity in the station made Sheri even more uncomfortable, almost to the point that she wasn't fully aware of what was being said throughout the offices and hallways surrounding her.

Until she heard the name Standall.

"Miss Holland." An officer called out to her.

"Yes?"

"Follow me please." The officer motioned for Sheri to follow, and she willfully obliged.

* * *

"I'm sorry Brad, but I gotta go."

"Tony."

"I'm sorry."

"We talked about this. Your abrupt leavings?"

"Clay needs me."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I do."

"What if I need you too, Tony?"

Tony Padilla stood there in silence.

"Would you know that?"

"I don't know, Brad."

They were standing outside of Brad's home, beside Tony's Mustang, which was parked along the curb. The crisp evening air of mid-Autumn surrounding them as a few leaves fell from the trees above. The stars were out in full, casting their light down on the Earth below.

"You need to figure it out soon. I'm your boyfriend, in case you forgot. I would appreciate some actual time alone with you for once."

"You'll get it, Brad."

"When?"

"Soon. I promise."

"I hope Clay knows that."

"Clay is going through some tough shit, okay? He's my friend and he needs someone there right now."

"Yeah."

Tony sighed, covering his face with his hand in exasperation.

"Fine. I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"I guess you will, Tony." Brad replied, turning to head back inside.

Tony shook his head and got into his car, already suspecting Clay's current situation. Putting his Mustang in gear, he sped off down the road towards the park, not paying much attention to passing ambulances and fire engines on the cross streets he encountered.

The radio stayed quiet as he rolled his window down, looking for some fresh air to fill the car's tense atmosphere. Nearing the park's entrance, he saw that it had been gated up for the night.

"Shit." He said, pulling over to the side of the street and putting the car in park. Getting out, he walked up to the gate and climbed over, knowing that Clay was still in the park somewhere. Meandering towards the main path, he illuminated the darkness in front of him with his phone's light.

He didn't have to walk for long, before figuring out where Clay was. Towards the end of the main path through the park, he spotted a bench on a hilltop, overlooking the twin bridges in the distance. He could barely make out the figure of Clay sitting on the bench in the darkness, but he noticed another figure as well, standing in front of Clay.

Getting closer, the figure became more prominent to him.

Within seconds he was close enough to see who it was.

Then, Tony Padilla stopped dead in his tracks.

It was her.

* * *

 **That's a wrap for Part One! I hope you all liked it! Leave feedback on what you thought, I'd love to hear from all of you! Thank you so much for reading!**


	2. Tape 7, Side B - Part Two

**Tape 7, Side B - Part Two**

* * *

Tony couldn't believe his eyes.

It was her. Living. Breathing. Was he dreaming?

He began to hyperventilate, dropping to his knees as he couldn't control the rush of emotions. The influx of guilt, confusion and pain all at once.

 _This can't be real. She died. I saw her body._

The words that came out of his mouth didn't feel like his.

"What the fuck… Clay!" He cried out, struggling to his feet. Neither Clay nor she moved.

"Clay!" He called out again, louder than before.

It worked. He turned, slowly, to face Tony. He had a somewhat distressed look on his face, but otherwise appeared like the normal Clay he had come to befriend.

"Clay. I'm gonna need you to come on." Tony's voice rang out through the park like a harrowing echo, shaking with unquestionable tension. Almost fearful.

"Alright." Clay replied, a look of uneasiness washing over him.

At once, Tony felt his legs grow feeble again, he had difficulty walking as his eyes remained focused on the girl in front of Clay. He pointed, weakly, towards her.

At which point, her eyes glided up from Clay to Tony, and they locked eyes.

She smiled to him, and he felt faint.

"Clay!" He called out again.

"What?" Clay sounded calm as he approached his friend.

"Clay, please tell me I'm fucking dreaming."

"What are you talking about Ton-…"

"Please tell me I'm fucking dreaming, Clay!"

"You're not dreaming, Tony." She said.

Her voice hit Tony like a semi-truck. He felt emotionally demolished at hearing the syllables roll off her tongue again. It was a surreal moment.

 _Did she fake her death?_

He began to question his own sanity at this point, his eyes watering heavily.

"Clay… why is she… why is she here?"

"Why is who here?"

"Hannah! Why the fuck is she here!?"

Clay's mouth opened to reply, but he seemed shocked at the statement. He turned to look back at the bench, but saw no one.

"What are you?" Tony looked at her when he spoke, his voice wavering with every word.

She turned to face the horizon, the distant lights of cars traveling across the twin bridges appeared like specks darting about in a rush to their destination. The rising moon cast a soft light on her pale skin. Her hair was short, attire was the same as the day her mother bid her farewell for the final time in Baker's Drug Store. The denim jacket, boots, scarf, it was all the same.

"You'll find out eventually." She said, smiling to herself.

"Tony, what the hell is going on?" Clay appeared so confused, so lost. This was not the same Tony he had grown used to over the past few years.

"Clay, get back." He replied firmly.

"No, Tony, what's wrong?"

"She's-… she's right there! Dammit Clay, she's right there!" He pointed profusely, fighting back the tears that threatened his face.

"Tony, we need to leave."

"I-I think you're right Clay…" He shot back quickly, backing away from her, grabbing Clay's arm and pulling it with him.

"Come on, Tony." He said, provoking Tony to turn back around slowly as they made their way to the gate.

Approaching the gate, Tony took one last look towards the hilltop.

She was gone.

* * *

"Where does this bus go?"

"Downtown Transit Center."

"From there?"

"Anywhere you want."

"How far to San Francisco?"

"Hop on a bus to El Cerrito from the Transit Center and take the BART into the city from El Cerrito. Hour and a half tops."

"I'll do it."

"It'll be eleven dollars at the transit station."

"I only have ten."

"Then you can't take the BART, son."

"Please, I have to get out of here. Please, can you help me?"

Justin Foley appeared flustered but ready to leave town as soon as possible. His plea with the bus driver appeared genuine enough.

"Fine. Get on. Hurry up, put your bag in the compartment above your seat." The driver sighed, fumbling through his wallet to find a lone dollar bill, handing it to Justin as he readied the bus to depart. He noticed Justin's jacket, but opted to not say anything.

"Th-thank you. Thank you so much." Justin stammered out in relief, hurrying to the back of the bus.

The doors closed and the bus started off towards downtown, Justin ran his fingers through his hair, an occasional stress reliever for him, as he leaned back in the seat and inhaled sharply.

* * *

"So, honey. About your deposition earlier today."

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Are you sure?"

There was a brief moment of silence.

"I'm positive."

"You know, they're just kids sweetheart. Don't let them get to you."

"They don't get to me, mom." Tyler Down appeared frustrated at the comment.

His mother continued eating, while his father just pushed food around with his fork, unsure of what to say in the moment.

It wasn't long before the woman chimed in again.

"It seemed that way, how you described them."

"Everything's fine." Tyler retorted, tossing his fork down onto his plate forcefully.

"Okay. Okay, I'm sorry hon." His mother grew silent, looking down to her plate, taking a deep breath.

"It's just the same shit I've put up with for ten years. Nothing new. Okay?" Tyler continued.

"I went through some of the same 'shit' you are, son. No one is against you at this table, okay?" His father finally decided to add his input to the conversation.

"No dad, I'm pretty sure you didn't." Tyler let out a soft laugh of annoyance, shaking his head. "No one at this damn table has, so stop pretending like you understand me." He stood up to head to his room, pausing briefly to claim the final word.

"Because you never have."

His door shut behind him as his father stood up to start the dishwasher.

"I think I lost my appetite," he told his wife, sighing to himself.

"I think we should get our son some help, James."

"Do you think he'll willingly accept it?" He questioned, opening the dishwasher.

"What makes you think he won't?"

James looked up to her.

"Because he hasn't opened up to us about his problems since they started. It's been ten years."

"It's still worth a shot."

"Fine. Call a shrink then."

"Who? He didn't talk to the last one."

"Anyone, I don't know any. What about that doctor you go to for your anxiety?"

"I'll call him in the morning and see if he can help."

"Alright then."

She stood up, handing James her plate before heading into the living room. He finished loading the dishwasher and shut it, started it up, and joined his wife.

Sitting beside her on the couch, they turned on the television. Everything came on normally, as usual. They switched channels, seeking the evening news for once.

They didn't like what they found.

"A seventeen-year-old boy from Liberty High School has reportedly shot himself this afternoon in an apparent suicide attempt. Authorities are not releasing any further details at this moment, but the boy is in critical condition at Mercy Hospital."

"Oh my god." She looked at him, he didn't return the glance but remained focused on the screen.

"We will bring you more details as we learn them," the television continued.

"Okay, yeah, we call the shrink tomorrow for sure." James said.

* * *

Tony's Mustang rumbled down the streets of town, slowly yet surely towards its destination.

Clay's gaze was directed out the window at the passing homes, he hadn't said a word to Tony since they both left the park. He wasn't sure _what_ to say.

"Clay."

"Tony, I don't know what happened in there. But you must've been dreaming." Clay finally spoke up in response.

"Clay, it felt real. She was there. I don't know what the fuck happened but she was there."

"What was she doing?" Clay shifted his eyes to Tony, who still appeared shaken up.

"Just… standing there. In front of you."

"In front of me?"

"Yeah. Like on the edge of the hill."

"Did she say anything?"

"Yeah."

"What?" Clay appeared more curious than he let on. This was of course, Hannah Baker, how could he not be curious?

"I asked her what she was. All she said was, 'you'll find out eventually.'"

"What the fuck?" Clay questioned.

"I know… I know. I think this whole guilt thing is just getting to me. The tapes, everything. I thought I could be strong through this."

"You've been strong, Tony. Everyone needs a break though." Clay replied.

"I just don't know why I saw her like that."

There was silence in the car for a few seconds, Clay began fidgeting with his hands as he looked down for a moment.

"She's dead." Clay murmured, eyes moving back out the window, his face occasionally glazed over with the orange hue of a street light. "She's not coming back." He felt the water in his eyes, but fought it off this time. "We just need to accept that."

Tony had no words. He just kept driving. The streets passed as they grew closer to Clay's house.

Clay's focus remained on the passing houses, until one caught his eye.

It was Jeff's.

 _"So, World War Two didn't just happen in Europe and the Pacific?" Jeff appeared amazed at the revelation, his blue-green eyes lighting up in genuine curiosity._

 _"No, it happened almost everywhere."_

 _"Even Australia?" Jeff asked Clay. They were in the library, as usual._

 _"Yeah Jeff, even Australia." Clay laughed in reply, opening his American history textbook to a section closer to the end._

 _"That must've sucked."_

 _"The Japanese bombed Darwin in 1942."_

 _"Who's Darwin? Like Charles Darwin? I thought he was earlier than that?" Jeff's demeanor transformed instantly from curiously delighted to delightfully confused._

 _"No, like the city of Darw-…"_

 _"Clay, can I talk to you?" A voice called from behind them._

 _It was Tony._

 _"Uh, yeah sure, what's up?"_

 _"In private?"_

 _"Oh, yeah that's fine." He turned to Jeff, "be right back." Jeff nodded, waving his hand, as if to send Clay off himself._

 _Tony led the way out into a hallway adjacent to the library._

 _"Everything okay?" Clay asked._

 _"I don't know," Tony replied firmly. "Have you seen Hannah around lately?"_

 _"Yeah, last period. Why?"_

 _"She act any different?"_

 _"Not that I could tell. We didn't speak."_

 _"I thought you two were friends?"_

 _"Uh, yeah. We are."_

 _"You should try talking to her more, Clay. You never know where it might take you. But that's beyond the point."_

 _"Yeah, what is your point?"_

 _"She's been acting kinda weird lately. I thought she had made friends with Ryan, but they seem to be avoiding each other now."_

 _"Oh? Ryan?"_

 _"Yeah, you haven't seen?"_

 _"No?"_

 _Tony laughed. "You should pay more attention to her too, Clay. She may like that."_

 _"Alright Tony, I get it. Talk to her, pay attention to her. Anything else you'd like to add?"_

 _"Next time you see her, see if you can get her to talk. I just have this feeling something's not right."_

 _"Why haven't you talked to her, then?"_

 _"Because I only have one period with her, and she's out the door before I can even get up."_

 _"I work with her tonight."_

 _"Try and talk to her then. I'd hate to see this girl get into some rut she can't get out of."_

 _"Me too."_

 _"Thanks, Clay." Tony patted him on the shoulder before turning to leave._

 _Clay re-entered the library, approaching his table, he noticed something different. It was empty._

 _He stopped in front of his table, looking around. No one was in the room._

 _"Clay?"_

 _He turned, jumping in fright as Jeff appeared behind him, sporting a massive gash on his head._

"Clay?"

"Yeah?"

"Your stop."

Clay shook himself out of the trance, before noticing they were parked outside of his house.

"Oh, thanks Tony."

"You headed to school tomorrow, right?"

"Of course, can't wait." Clay replied sarcastically, winning a quick grin from Tony as he stepped out of the Mustang."

"Alright, I'll see you then."

"Later Tony."

The car sped off down the street as Clay headed up the steps to his house. Opening the door quietly, he entered the kitchen and was greeted by an all-too-familiar face.

His father stood over the stove, cooking something that Clay couldn't quite see.

"Evening, son."

"Oh, hey dad."

"How was school?"

"School? School was fine."

"Really? Cause I got a call earlier today saying you missed your last three periods. You're still on attendance alert."

"Aw, really? Because I could've sworn I sat through the awful lecture about DNA replication."

His father chuckled. "You're lucky your mother wasn't home today, or she could've been much less forgiving."

"Where is she?"

"Finishing up some stuff at the office. Another late night."

"Lawsuit stuff?"

"Afraid so."

Clay sighed.

"When is your deposition, again?"

"Tomorrow."

"Best of luck against your mother," Matt smiled to his son.

"Yeah, thanks dad." Clay exited the kitchen as silently as he came in, climbing up the stairs and into his bedroom. He was halfway through his doorway before a knock came at the front door.

"I'll get it Clay!" Matt shouted up to him, hearing his son moving towards the stairs.

He opened the front door, revealing Olivia and Andy Baker. Olivia was clutching the flash drive given to her by Tony. She looked briefly at Matt before switching targets, locating Clay at the top of the stairs. Her face was full of sorrow, yet full of questions.

Perhaps now, Clay could give her the answers she sought.

* * *

The bus grinded to a halt, and the passengers began to disembark, one by one. There weren't many, but Justin decided to wait until the last one was off the bus.

Moments passed, and he finally gets up to leave. He looked out the window at the transit center, it was a hub of activity, people moving about in every which way, buses maneuvering around and pulling into the different stations. He had to figure out his way to El Cerrito, but first he needed a ticket.

"Wait, son." The driver stopped him as he neared the steps.

"What is it?" Justin looked back.

"That jacket you're wearing."

"What about it?" His voice was nearly drowned out by the sounds of all the buses just outside. The driver closed the doors and cleared his throat.

"You play for Liberty, yeah?" The driver asked him.

"I used to." Justin looked down to the floor, kicking invisible dust to try and ease himself.

"Yeah, you look familiar. I used to go to all the games." He paused, collecting his thoughts. "Well, the baseball games that is. But I went to see basketball with my son a few times too."

"That's great. I'm happy for you. But I don't play for them anymore." Justin replied.

"Why not?"

"Things happened." He turned to depart once more.

"You may have known my son." The driver said. Justin looked back for a fleeting moment before stepping down the steps towards the closed doors, shrugging his shoulders."

"I knew a lot of people." He pushed on the doors, hoping they'd oblige and open for him manually.

"Jeff Atkins?" The driver said. Justin stopped and turned slowly around to face the man. He had an innocent yet somewhat compelling demeanor. His eyes, however, seemed somewhat foggy, as if they'd lost the spark that once lit them ablaze with life.

"Jeff?" Justin said.

"That was my son. Jeff."

"Yeah, I knew Jeff." Justin replied, nodding slowly, his eyes locking with the driver.

"Were you there that night?" He asked the boy before him.

Justin took a deep breath, eyes leaving the man's gaze and moving to look out the windshield. The images came flooding back.

 _He tried to pull him off of her._

 _"The fuck out of here man!" Bryce shouted, pushing Justin out of the bedroom and slamming the door, locking it behind him._

 _Staring up at the door, he descended into tears, but he allowed it to happen. He didn't bang on the door. He didn't break it down. He didn't call for help. He stumbled to his feet and made his way downstairs to the couch, where he remained for the rest of the night. His eyes stared off into the distance, in a trance of some sorts, not focused enough to notice Hannah Baker make her way down the stairs, glaring at him intently, eyes raw from tears._

 _Minutes later, he didn't notice Sheri Holland approaching a distraught Hannah, offering her a ride home. Ten minutes pass. His trance is unshaken. Jessica had not returned downstairs, but eventually, Bryce Walker did. He eyed Justin on the couch briefly before making his way outside, drunkenly sliding open the glass door to the backyard._

 _A few moments after, Jeff Atkins appeared from the front yard, his conversation with Clay Jensen had ended, and he grabbed his keys from his left pocket and went around the party, taking requests for beer. Gathering a list, he approached Justin._

 _"Justin, you want anything? I'm going for a beer run."_

 _Justin remained silent._

 _"Justin?"_

 _"I'm fine."_

 _"Alright man."_

 _Jeff hurried out the door, note and keys in hand. Justin hears his car leaving, but his trance remained. Jessica never re-appeared downstairs._

 _It was the next day that he learned of Jeff's fate._

"Yeah. Yeah I was there." He replied quietly, voice wavering as he continued to stare out the windshield of the bus.

"Was he in a good mood?"

"What?"

"Was he happy? Did he seem that way?"

"Uh y-yeah, I guess so."

"Just needed to know if my boy was happy in his last hours. Thank you."

"Yeah, anytime." Justin attempted to give the man a faint smile, but it wouldn't come. So he simply nodded and turned back towards the doors. The driver opened them and Justin stepped down to the sidewalk.

"I'm sorry about Jeff," Justin said, looking back at the driver. "He was a good guy. A good friend." He wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"Thank you, son." The driver replied, a small smile displayed on his face. He closed the doors and accelerated the bus forward.

Justin stood alone on the sidewalk as the late-night bus crowds swarmed around him to catch the next bus, which pulled up where the last one departed from. The transit center loomed before him. His escape.

He turned, blank-faced, oblivious to the crowds on all sides of him, and watched as the bus drove off and disappeared into the growing darkness of the night.

* * *

 **So that's Part Two! I'm enjoying myself with this, exploring my creativity. I still have a lot of characters to address, but we'll get there. Baby steps! I'm starting to develop two storylines in particular, Tony/Clay's and Justin's. I think those two will be my most prominent ones for the first few "episodes" before I feel ready to tackle the bigger storylines, like Jessica, Alex and Bryce. Also notice how Jeff has been getting a decent amount of attention. There's a reason why. A lot of his backstory and motivations will be explained as we go on, and how he really relates to Hannah's story.**


	3. Tape 7, Side B - Part Three

**Author's Note: This is my longest update yet, and I really enjoyed writing this part. This is the final part to the first episode! One down! I hope you guys are enjoying it, I have a lot of ideas of where to take the story from here! I'm moving back into my college apartment tomorrow, so the next update may take an extra day or two! Thank you to the reviews I've gotten so far!**

* * *

 **Tape 7, Side B - Part Three**

"Uh, a ticket to El Cerrito please."

"You stopping in El Cerrito or taking the train into the city?"

"I'll take the train."

"Eleven dollars."

Justin handed it over to the woman at the ticket counter.

"Bus is leaving in ten minutes." She smiled to him, before calling to the next person. "Next."

Justin turned to find a bench in the waiting area. Buses were coming and going, people flooding about. It was nearly 10 PM, but the transit center was surprisingly crowded.

Justin pulled out his phone. Normally his first instinct would be to check his social media profiles, but he remembered they were gone. So he checked his messages.

Only two.

 _Hey man, where are you?_ From Marcus.

 _Call me bro, I'm worried about you._ From Bryce.

 _Fucking Bryce_ , thought Justin. Bryce had won Justin's allegiance over years ago, but now, Justin had broken free. His mind filled with thoughts about Bryce at Jessica's party. Thoughts he wanted to be rid of, but they kept invading.

He opened Marcus' thread, carefully choosing a reply.

 _Don't worry about it._

He sent it.

Marcus' reply came swift, within a minute or two.

 _Your deposition is tomorrow, right?_

Justin pondered whether to reply.

 _Yeah._

 _You gonna be there?_

 _I don't know._

 _This is some serious shit man, I hope you don't skip it._

 _If I'm there, I'm there. If not, don't worry about it._

He didn't get a reply.

Switching chats, he moved to Jessica's messages. The last thing she sent was a sharp and personal _Fuck you Justin_ earlier that day. He couldn't bear to read it, but he still felt he should say something more.

He began typing.

 _I'm sorry. I really am. I'll do anything to make this right again._

He stared at it for a few moments, before his bus number was called out.

He backspaced the message and put his phone back in his pocket, headed for the newly arrived bus. He handed the driver his bus pass, and made his way to the back seat. A voice came on over the bus speakers.

"We've got sixteen boarding for El Cerrito, five of them bound for San Francisco. Anyone wishing to switch tickets, do so now at the ticket desk. We leave in five minutes. Bags in the upper compartments please. This will be a forty minute ride to the El Cerrito del Norte station."

A few minutes passed, the bus was put into gear and began backing out of the station. Justin slouched back in his seat and tried to fall asleep, but didn't prevail. Jessica persisted in his mind. Her voice filling his ears. Her face a seared image in his brain.

He couldn't shake it.

Sighing in frustration, he pulled out his phone again, and went to his conversation with her.

He began typing.

* * *

"May we speak with Clay for a moment? I'm Olivia Baker and this is my husband, Andy." Olivia Baker attempted to prod Clay's father.

"I-uh… I don't think you should be here. With all due respect." Matt seemed a bit worried as he looked back to Clay, who stood on the penultimate step with a look of pure terror.

"I understand, the case and all." Olivia waved her hand in the air. "This'll only take a moment. It's a personal matter. Please." The desperation in her demeanor seemed to weigh heavily on the conscience of Matt as he bit his bottom lip in thought.

"That's fine, but you should probably do it outside. I don't think my wife would find it very good to have her son chatting up with the prosecuting side."

"It won't take long, we promise." Olivia couldn't even muster a smile, her face almost went blank, devoid of emotion once again as Matt opened the door to allow Clay to exit the house.

"Go on, Clay. Just a few minutes." Matt left his son with an urging smile of reassurance as he beckoned him forward.

"Alright." Clay gulped, making his way down the stairs to the door. He nodded to his dad, who closed the door after them.

The three stood at the top step alone.

"So." Olivia started.

"H-how did you find my house?" Clay replied nervously.

"White Pages. Our only option. It's okay, Clay. You aren't in trouble. We aren't here to strangle you or anything." Olivia attempted to brush off Clay's uneasiness at the confrontation.

Clay noted the irony in the statement, remembering his previous hallucinatory encounter with Mrs. Baker. He simply nodded.

Her face remained lifeless, almost cold in a sense, as Andy stood silent by her side, eyeing Clay curiously. She placed a hand on Clay's shoulder.

"We listen-… we listened." She took a moment to gather what little emotional strength she had.

Clay knew immediately where this was going. His face altered expressions almost instantly from nervousness to near-horror.

"The tapes…" She continued, as Andy put his arm around her and attempting to calm her, kissing the side of her head softly.

"Y-you heard them?" Clay stammered out. "How?"

"Your friend Tony." Olivia managed to reply.

Clay remembered Tony mentioning something about copying the tapes, but wasn't sure what he meant. That's when Mrs. Baker withdrew a small flash drive from her pocket. She held it out to Clay as a display that she was telling the truth.

"The tapes… are on that?" Clay asked.

"Yes." She said.

"Why are you here then, Mrs. Baker?"

"We have something to ask you, Clay." Andy finally spoke, his voice sounding frail and broken, his eyes looked bloodshot and his hands were trembling.

Olivia cleared her throat, locking eyes with Clay.

It was almost if he could see Hannah's dying face staring back at him from within her mother's eyes. But he dispelled the image and focused on the woman before him with an intent gaze of sorrowful curiosity.

"Were you in love with Hannah?" She asked, her voice sounding slightly garbled at the word Hannah, as she fought from choking up. Andy gripped her tighter as he watched Clay's reaction, this time to a face filled with pain.

The regret was eating away at his soul.

"I-uh… Hannah?" He asked, his voice wavering slightly at the sound of her name rolling off of his tongue. It was like a firework shot into the ocean, a beautiful explosion that was left to drown and wither away.

"Hannah." Andy said.

"Excuse me?" A voice came from below them.

Lainie Jensen stood on the sidewalk, peering up at the three.

The Bakers didn't take their eyes off of Clay.

"Mom, it's okay. We're just talking."

"I don't think so, Clay." Lainie began up the steps affirmatively.

"You're both more than welcome here, and you can speak to my son whenever you'd like. But until the case is settled, it probably isn't in the best interest of your lawsuit to be here right now." Lainie turned to the Bakers, her voice surging through the air like a willfully dominant presence.

"Yes, uh. Of course… right then." Mrs. Baker murmured. "I'm sorry to bother you this evening, Mrs. Jensen. Clay." She grabbed Andy's arm and backed away from Clay, turning to head down the steps.

Clay watched them descend down the steps to the sidewalk. He longed desperately to speak up, to tell them the truth. But the words just couldn't come to them.

He stood there, gazing with a teary-eyed expression, as they climbed somberly and quietly into their Jeep. The vehicle originally bought for their darling daughter to take to her Winter Formal.

The engine started, and without words from either party, the car took off down the street, leaving nothing but autumn leaves in its wake.

Lainie rested a hand on her son's shoulder.

"Clay."

"Mom, not right now."

"Do you want to talk about this yet?"

"I can't."

"I'll be here when you can." She smiled to him, rubbing his shoulder with care before opening the front door, calling out to Matt.

Clay stood there in silence, the night sky spread above him like a darkened canvas, the stars glistening as they added a soul to the canvas, each and every one.

But in that moment, Clay felt as if he lacked a soul himself. He sat down on the top step, head tilting backwards to take in the sky above.

Within moments he was back on top of the Crestmont.

 _"What am I supposed to be seeing?"_

 _"Just a shadow over the moon, look, it's growing slowly." Clay pointed skyward, their legs dangling off of the roof of the Crestmont in the crisp evening wind._

 _"A shadow… growing slowly." She repeated back to him, looking for what he spoke of._

 _"Yeah, just, little bit by little bit." Clay pointed again. "Look closely."_

 _"I see it." Hannah finally replied. "I see it."_

 _She inspected it for a moment, a breeze tossing her long hair around her face._

 _"It's kind of scary."_

 _Clay turned to her, his eyes gazing upon her features before he spoke._

 _"Is it?"_

 _She looked at him for a fleeting moment, their eyes meeting, before shifting her eyes back to the eclipse._

 _Clay nodded as he did the same, and before long he felt her body shift closer to his._

 _'Put your arm around her.' His mind shouted._

 _He just sat there._

"Clay? You still out here?" His father's voice cut in.

"What? Oh, uh, yeah. Still here." Clay said, keeping his eyes to the sky.

"You wanna come inside soon pal? Gotta be up early in the morning for that deposition."

"I know."

"Alright, don't stay out too long."

"I won't."

Matt watched his son for a while, trying to figure out what was going on in his son's head. But he eventually left the doorway for his bedroom.

Clay sighed, closing his eyes, returning to his memory. His happiness.

* * *

"You do realize you could've just dialed the non-emergency number, Miss Holland?" The officer said to Sheri.

They were seated at a wooden table in a conference room of sorts. Two officers sat before Sheri, the lights were somewhat dimmed.

"I wasn't thinking, I just felt I should've notified someone."

"Why didn't you notify authorities of this sooner?"

"Because."

"Because?"

"I was scared."

"We all get scared, Miss Holland. But you damaged city property, the local Department of Transportation would've been called to replace it, and you would've been left with a simple fine to pay if you gave them your name."

"I understand." Sheri replied.

"What was the intersection, and the date please?"

"Uh… it was that intersection, um…" Sheri seemed lost for words.

"Miss Holland?" The second officer asked.

Sheri felt the water in her eyes.

"The intersection… you know. That intersection."

"What intersection?"

Her fists balled up under the table, she tried fighting it, to control it. The guilt was washing over.

"Tanglewood… the intersection… you know."

"Tanglewood and what street? We need the exact intersection."

"Why?"

"Record-keeping purposes. Please, Miss Holland. Is there something wrong?"

"No."

"What was the intersection then?"

"That intersection."

"Where?"

At that point, she snapped.

"The fucking intersection where that boy was killed! Where I hit a stop sign and drove off like a fucking coward! My friend was killed later that night and I had just driven away from my responsibility like a coward!" The tears flowed. "It was my fault. At that intersection. That… stupid… intersection… where Jeff Atkins, where he was killed." The tears quickly escalated to sobs. Her voice faded away as she buried her face in her hands.

"Miss Holland." The first officer said, the woman.

Sheri just shook her head, unable to speak.

"Miss Holland, it's okay. I'm glad you came to us. We can work all of this out, okay? I'm glad you came forward. It's all going to be okay."

Sheri just sat there, her body convulsing with every sob, she struggled for air, gasping as she did so.

"Get her some water." The first officer said to the second.

The officer left the room.

"It's going to be okay. I promise."

Sheri struggled to reply.

"P-prison, right? That's what it's gonna be?"

"If his parents decide to press charges, there may be a case to decide what happens from here. We're going to have to impose a fine for destroying city property and not reporting it. But at this point, your admission is the only evidence we have to support this. There are no cameras at that intersection, if I recall correctly. If this is true, we will notify Mr. Atkins' family, and they can decide where to go from there."

"P-pl-please. Please. I'm so sorry. I'm s-so sorry." Her sobbing fit continued as the second officer returned with a small cup of water, placing it on the table in front of her. She didn't seem to notice.

"It's okay. We promise. Everything will be just fine. We're going to send you home and call you back tomorrow, okay? Is that okay Miss Holland?"

Sheri could barely nod.

"Just fill out a little bit of paperwork for us, okay?"

She pushed a folder towards the distraught girl, a pen resting on top.

Sheri looked up slowly, her makeup running down her face and her hands soaking from the tears. She reached for the cup first, taking a few sips, before putting it back down and reaching for the pen.

"It's all okay." The officer repeated.

"It-it's not… but okay." Sheri said timidly, voice shaking. She signed all of the papers in the folder, not bothering to read any of them, before pushing them back across the table. The officer watched her with a keen eye, almost wishing she had read what she had signed.

"C-can I go now?" She asked.

"You are free to go, Miss Holland. Thank you so much. Officer Hawkins here will escort you out."

Sheri nodded again, taking a few moments to push herself out of the seat. She grabbed her purse and hurriedly left the conference room with Hawkins by her side.

* * *

The flowing lights overhead from the twin bridges cast shadows inside of the bus. Justin sat in his seat, eyes open and alert as he awaited a response on his phone. The bus rattled over a few potholes, jostling him about in his position, but he remained steadfast in his focus as the phone laid on his lap.

He felt a buzz, and immediately looked down to check it.

 _Justin. Seriously. Where are you? Call me._ It was from Bryce.

Justin scoffed and leaned further down in his seat. He considered blocking Bryce's number, but decided to leave it alone for now.

Traffic passing the bus increased as they came into a more heavily populated area across the bridge. Justin reasoned that they must be closer to San Francisco at this point. The bus pushed on, not a single occupant speaking or saying a word. Many asleep, others watching Netflix on their tablets or checking news headlines on their phones.

Justin pulled up Jessica's messages again.

 _I just want to talk to you. I'm truly sorry for what I did. Please give me this chance._

The message remained on "Delivered." He figured she hadn't seen it yet. Then he questioned his logic again and knew that she probably had.

Twenty minutes passed and the bus settled into its berth at the El Cerrito station.

"The five passengers bound for San Francisco. This is your stop." The bus' interior lights activated and Justin squinted at the newly revealed lights beaming down on him. He stood to his feet, grabbing his bag from the apartment, and followed the other four passengers off the bus.

Justin checked the time on his phone.

10:50.

He stepped off the bus and looked upwards. The BART platform rose above the station. He eyed the stairs and ascended to the train platform.

One train whizzed by, causing a heavy breeze to rattle the passengers waiting beside the tracks.

Another came in slower, presumably from the northernmost point on the line, Richmond. Justin watched it intensely, thoughts flashing through his mind.

 _Jump._

 _Do it, you coward._

 _Just end it here._

The thoughts never came to fruition however, as the train passed him, who stood at the end of the platform, his hair blowing in the wind as the train car lights brightened his face consecutively until it came to a halt, his face remained emotionless as he prepared to board.

The doors opened. Only one occupant stepped off. Justin and the other four passengers stepped through various doors onto the train. Justin's car at the rear was all but empty, minus a lone woman sitting in the back. She was elderly, appeared to be reading a magazine of some sorts.

Justin paid her no mind and found a seat, watching the doors close and feeling the train take off towards San Francisco.

* * *

Night quickly turned to day.

Liberty High School teemed with activity, students bustling to and from class, the library and the gym. Voices filled the hallways, from the lockers to the bathrooms and everywhere in between. Some conversations going into great detail about the War of 1812, others discussing proper beer pong tactics. But a select few chose to whisper.

"Is he here?"

Zach Dempsey closed his locker and turned to find Marcus standing in front of him.

"What?" Zach replied.

"Justin. Have you seen him?"

"No, why?"

"It's his deposition day."

"He wouldn't be in school if he has a deposition, Marcus."

"It's not until 3:00. He can still be here."

"Don't worry about him, I'm sure he'll go."

"What about Clay?"

Zach eased his way through the throngs of students rushing to class, Marcus followed him.

"What about him?"

"His deposition is today too."

"What's your point, dude?" Zach appeared frustrated.

"He could talk."

"Yeah, that's the point."

"About us."

"Haven't we already done that?"

"He could spill more."

"Get over yourself, Marcus. I honestly could care less. I know what I did and if the truth comes out, we deserve whatever we get." Zach didn't pause to look Marcus in the eye as he continued to second period Chemistry.

Marcus left Zach's side after the comment, standing alone amidst the crowds circling him, darting every which way, as he watched him disappear up the stairs.

* * *

Tony's Mustang rolled up to the curb in front of Clay's house. He had no intention of staying long, however. A simple knock on the door brought a rather formal looking Clay to the front porch.

"Hey Tony."

"What's up Clay? How are you?"

"Seen better days." Clay quipped, buttoning up the final button at the top of his collared shirt.

"You ready for your deposition?" Tony asked.

"Let's get this over with." Clay followed Tony to his car, locking the front door behind him. Clay's father was out for some literary meeting, and of course his mother was already handling depositions at the law office.

Climbing into Tony's car, Clay noticed a tape on the dashboard.

"What's that?" He asked.

"New mixtape. Put it in." Tony said, smiling to his friend.

Clay obliged, pushing the tape into the vehicle's cassette player.

 **(( Author's Note: At this point, if you have the ability to listen along with them, the song is "The World Ender" by Lord Huron. Strongly recommended! You don't have to wait for the music, just keep on reading as it plays, if you wish! ))**

 _I had a name but they took it from me_

 _I was the man that I wanted to be_

"I recognize the voice." Clay mentioned.

"It's Lord Huron. The same group that sang that song."

"What song?"

"The one you and Hannah danced to." Tony started the car, and off they went.

Clay's mouth opened to reply, but he decided against it. The song was his favorite in the world, and hearing something new from the group was almost pushing him out of his recent comfort zone. But he willingly obliged, maybe it would help him.

 _I had a place where I lay my head_

 _They burnt it to the ground and the sky turned red_

The streets of San Francisco were filled with life. Vehicles honking, crowds pushing down sidewalks. Storefronts buzzing and the various smells of the city wafting through Justin Foley's nostrils. He waded through the hundreds of people on the crosswalk as he made his way south down Market Street against the morning sunshine. His destination was a mere mile away. He looked down at the address listed on his phone, his pulse beginning to race.

 _I had a life and a place in the world_

 _I had a sweet talkin' wife and a beautiful girl_

 _I know I'm never gonna see 'em again_

 _Gonna tear the world up until I have my revenge_

"Remember Clay, just be honest. Tell the truth and don't hold back." Tony told his friend, as they arrived at the law building, downtown.

Seagulls chirped and cawed overhead as the waters of the bay crashed against the floodwall beyond the building.

Clay nodded, taking a deep breath, collecting his thoughts.

 _They took my life but it isn't the end_

 _They put me in the ground but I'm back from the dead_

"Just relax, you got fifteen minutes." Tony said.

"We're that early?" Clay stammered nervously, his fingers fidgeting in his lap. He wanted it to be over with already. "I should just go inside."

"Are you the first deposition today?"

"I think so, but I'm not sure. Mom doesn't talk about it."

"Just ease up for a minute, Clay."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because I know the Bakers are up there waiting for me."

 _Oh I'm the World Ender baby and I'm coming for you_

 _They put me in the ground but I'm back from the dead_

 _Oh I'm the World Ender baby and I'm coming for you_

 _They put me in the ground but I'm back from the dead_

"Are they?"

"Why wouldn't they be, Tony?"

"You're worried about this?"

"Of course I am."

"Just take some deep breaths, I'm sure they'll be happy to know the truth."

"They were at my house last night."

"What?"

 _You'll hear me howl by the light of the moon_

 _That's how you'll know that I'm coming for you_

 _Gonna find you alone in the dark of night_

 _When the World Ender comes better run for your life_

Justin stepped up to a brightly colored house on the corners of Waller and Fillmore streets, in the Lower Haight district of the city. The car horns never faded in the distance as he stood inches away from the door. Fighting an internal battle on whether or not to knock, he felt a buzz from his phone. He paused briefly to check it.

 _You skipping your deposition, bro?_ Zach had typed.

 _Don't worry about it._ Justin responded.

 _I'm worried about YOU man. Get up with me when you can._

Justin bit his bottom lip as he thought up a reply.

 _Thanks, but I'm okay._

 _You sure? I don't hang with Bryce anymore, I wanna help you._

 _I don't need help, Zach._

 _Suit yourself, I'm here if you need it._

Justin put his phone away, turned back to the door, and found it already opened.

"Justin?"

 _I'll never bleed and I won't ever age_

 _I'll never feel the embrace of the grave_

Sheri Holland stepped up to the front doors of the police station. She took a deep breath and opened the doors, immediately coming face to face with a couple in tears.

Jeff Atkins' parents.

 _The fair and the brave and the good must die_

 _I seen the other side of living, I know heaven's a lie_

"Yeah, they came to my house to see me." Clay answered Tony quickly.

"Why?"

"They had to ask me a question about Hannah."

"Did you answer?"

"I didn't get a chance to, my mom shooed them off."

"Shit."

"What?"

"Did they have a flash drive with them?"

"Yeah… you gave them the tapes."

 _I'll tear through the night, and I'll raise some hell_

 _'Cause I'm the World Ender, baby and I'm back from the dead_

"I did."

"Do you think that was the best decision, Tony?"

"I do. They deserve to hear the truth. Now get going Clay, you got five minutes."

"Right, right. Okay. What floor again?" Clay asked as he opened the door and climbed out of the Mustang.

Tony sighed, chuckling to himself. "Eighth. Just breathe, Clay."

"Breathe floor, got it. Thanks, Tony." He stumbled off towards the building's entrance. Tony smiled as he watched him.

 _Lord knows I should be pushing daisies_

 _I was 6 feet down, but something raised me up_

"Look, Marcus, I don't care how long it takes. I don't care that you have a meeting this afternoon. Find the little fucker, I need to talk to him."

"I texted him last night, I don't know where he is."

"Shit. Well find out!" Bryce Walker brushed past Marcus in annoyance as he made his way to the gym for baseball workouts.

 _Sent back for to lift my curse_

 _I'm gonna get me a taste of some chaos first_

"I know what happened, Bryce." Marcus called out after him. The hallway they occupied was empty, save for them.

Bryce paused, turning to face him.

"Know what?"

"About what you did to Hannah."

"You heard those tapes?" Bryce began pacing his way back towards Marcus.

 _Untied, gonna get little wild_

 _Go screaming through the dark like a demon child_

"Yeah. So did Justin, so did Jessica. So did Zach and Alex. We all heard those tapes."

"You heard them cause you're on them?"

"Yeah."

"Do you believe her?"

"I don't know."

"Where are they?"

"I have no idea."

"Where the fuck are those tapes, Marcus?"

"I don't fucking know, Bryce."

"Well find out, fast. I'm done playing these fucking games with you guys. Remember my one rule."

"Keep you clean."

"That's right."

"What do I do once I find the tapes?"

"Bring them to my house, we'll handle them."

"We?"

"You wouldn't want to ruin your perfect little reputation now, would you Marcus?" Bryce smirked, before turning to walk back down the hallway, disappearing around a corner, leaving Marcus alone once again.

 _Close your eyes now, the light is fading_

 _And the noise in the night is gonna get a little louder, baby_

Tony started up his Mustang engine, preparing himself to leave the parking lot. He check his phone for any messages from Brad.

 _I'm the World Ender, baby, and I'm back from the grave_

 _They can run for their lives but they cannot be saved_

Clay exited the elevator hastily at the eighth floor. He remembered, luckily enough. Seeing the marked door at the end of the hallway for depositions, he saw a figure emerge from the door.

Closing the distance, he noticed it was Ryan.

"Good luck in there, Clay." Ryan said, eyeing Clay with intense curiosity as he shuffled past him and waltzed towards the elevator.

"Oh, uh, yeah, you too." Clay murmured back. "I-I mean, yeah, thanks." His awkwardness got the best of him as he approached the door. Ryan exited through the elevator doors as Clay turned the doorknob to the deposition room.

Seated before him at a long conference table was his mother, the prosecuting attorney, and the Bakers, huddled in a corner near the wide windows that adorned the backside of the room. They all eyed him as he entered, but Clay said nothing.

"Have a seat, Mr. Jensen." The prosecutor motioned to Clay, to an empty seat in front of a video camera mounted on a tripod. His mother watched him with worried eyes, but stayed silent, a pen and paper before her. The Bakers never took their eyes off Clay, but he avoided eye contact as he took his seat in front of the window.

 _I'm the World Ender, baby, and I'm coming for them_

 _They put me in the ground but I'm back from the dead_

"You've got some nerve showing up here again, Justin."

"I know." Justin murmured, putting his hand to rest on the right side of the doorframe. "Please just hear me out. Please."

In front of him stood a somewhat older woman, maybe mid-50s, who studied his expression for a moment, before sighing and stepping out of the way to allow Justin inside her home. She closed it slowly behind him, watching his every move.

He sat down on a nearby couch and she sat across from him, in a rather comfortable looking armchair. She turned off the television and folded her arms across her chest.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"A second chance."

 _I'm the World Ender, baby, and I'm back from the grave_

 _They can run for their lives but they cannot be saved_

Tony looked up from his phone and put the Mustang into reverse, he turned to look out of his rear window, when he saw her.

She appeared in his passenger seat, causing him to jump back in sheer terror.

"Oh shit! What the fuck!?" Tony's heartbeat began to increase in speed, as he carefully put the car in park and stared, mouth slightly agape, at Hannah Baker beside him. Her attire was the same as before, her gaze focused on the law offices in front of them. She blinked twice before turning to Tony.

Their eyes locked, and Tony felt a cold surge rush down his spine. He had to be dreaming, he had to be.

"What the fuck is going on? Who the fuck are you?"

"Who do you think I am, Tony?" She replied, her voice rather chilling, with a subtle hint of tenderness hidden within.

"H-Hannah?" He could barely speak.

She shifted her gaze back to the building in front of them, before replying.

"We need to talk."

 _I'm the World Ender, baby, and I'm coming for them_

 _They put me in the ground but I'm back from the dead_

"Good morning, Mr. Jensen."

Clay nodded, attempting to smile. "Good morning."

The camera was recording.

"My name is Dennis Vasquez, representing Andrew and Olivia Baker, and this is a deposition. I'll be asking you questions, and you must answer them truthfully unless your attorney clearly instructs you otherwise." He paused. "Do you understand?"

"Uh, y-yes. Yes, I do." Clay said, fighting hard to avoid looking over at the Bakers.

"There's no judge present, but this is a formal legal proceeding." He cleared his throat before continuing. "You are under the same legal obligation to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand." Clay replied.

"Good." Dennis looked down at his papers for a moment, before resuming his conversation with Clay.

 _I'm the World Ender, baby, and I'm back from the grave_

 _They can run for their lives but they cannot be saved_

"For the record, please state your full name, your age, where you go to school, and what year you're in." The prosecutor, Dennis, spoke up to Clay. Lainie watched him apprehensively.

"Um, my name is Clay Matthew Jensen. I'm seventeen, and I attend Liberty High School as a Junior." He continued fidgeting with his hands in his lap, while his mother smiled faintly at his statement, knowing she raised her boy well.

"Okay, good. Now, let's start with a simple question."

"Okay."

"When and where did you first meet Hannah Baker?"

For a fleeting moment, Clay felt as if the eyes of the world were on him.

 _I'm the World Ender, baby, and I'm coming for them_

 _They put me in the ground but I'm back from the dead_

* * *

 **That's Episode One! I had a lot of fun writing these first three parts. I can't wait to see where this story will take me next. As stated in the beginning Author's Note, I'm moving back into my college apartment tomorrow, so I may be delayed on updating for a day or two. But thank you again to the reviews that have been submitted! This third part was probably the most difficult for me to write, simply because of the emotions and the situations, but things will slowly begin to take off. I like slow burns, so things will start to move along quicker the further we go! Thanks again for reading!**


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